IN YOUR OPINION

Letters to the Editor for July 16, 2013

Published: Monday, July 15, 2013 at 10:43 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, July 15, 2013 at 10:43 p.m.

Bad public policy

It is amazing to me that the immigration feud is supposedly so one party or the other doesn’t lose its vote.

Here are a few facts that I just learned about (shame on me). Hispanic voters in the U.S. are 17.2 percent of the population. Now, if someone got 50 percent of the Hispanic vote, that means they got 8.6 percent of the vote. The white population makes up 70 percent of the voters, so we should all just give in and let all the illegals in so 8 percent can have their way.

Does this sound right or fair? The law is the law and should be enforced. We really do not need a new law.

Sure, we have to do something about the illegal ones already here, but we do not have to give them our jobs, money or health care. Once you cull the criminals out of the illegals that are here, you won’t have that many left to help.

Marco Rubio’s plan was one of the best, but he changed horses in midstream just like the others. They are so afraid of losing that 8 percent of the vote. Ridiculous!

I feel we should think about the people who came here legally the hard way. They waited their turn. They did it right. Coming here illegally is a crime. What happens to us if we enter Mexico illegally?

Build the fence we were promised years ago and again now. The law they are pushing through is filled with pork also. President Obama promised to end that. Ha!

Pat Lee

Ocala

The system worked

So, the trial is concluded and the verdict is in. Given what I read and heard of the evidence adduced to support or refute the charges against Mr. Zimmerman, the verdict of the jury appears to be correct.

That said, there remains a nagging feeling that justice was not served in this case. The defendant disobeyed orders to leave any investigation to appropriate law enforcement entities. His failure to do so must be viewed, I suspect, as the cause of the tragedy that ensued. Yet, he walks a free man. Why?

The jury system. Oh no. After jurists, lawyers and other pundits weighed in that the jury system worked in the Casey Anthony debacle, any critique of the system now falls short.

The judge? Don’t think so. She appeared tough and fair throughout the ordeal. If anything she leaned towards the prosecution. Nope. That’s out.

The defense? Nope. Despite poor jokes and an excruciatingly awkward cross examination, they did their jobs.

The prosecution. Ah, now we’re getting warmer. The State in its various manifestations chose nearly the maximum charges against the defendant, charges that we now see in hindsight were not supported by the available evidence.

Mr. Zimmerman took the life of a young man who did not have to die. That was clear and the evidence was incontrovertible. Yet, Mr. Zimmerman’s actions, in the eyes of the jury and others, fell far short of the level of culpability argued by the state. Lesser charges would have resulted in a conviction.

If you will forgive the analogy, by swinging for the fences when a single would have won the game, the state ended up losing everything — especially the respect of the community.

Why this was done will no doubt be the subject of books and TV movies. That it was done resulted in a lack of justice and a disservice to the Martin family.

Robert Echols

Ocala

Disappointing verdict

The death of Trayvon Martin need never have happened if George Zimmerman had taken advantage of numerous opportunities to identify himself as a member of neighborhood watch. He was in an unmarked car, not wearing any sort of identification or uniform, and therefore an unknown and threatening entity to this boy.

I believe Trayvon did his best to get away from this stranger who was following him, and when he was unsuccessful, he confronted Zimmerman in his own self-defense. This was never brought out in the trial. Also, Zimmerman never expressed any remorse for taking this teenager’s life, describing it as God’s plan.

I am very disappointed in the outcome.

Irene Fortuna

Ocala

Mob does not rule

The trial is over. Or is it?

The man, Zimmerman, before he was even brought to trial, was sentenced, convicted and, yes, if he had been caught, hung. Now long months have passed and a jury with a not-guilty plea has let Mr. Zimmerman go. But is he free?

People blinded by prejudice have decided he is guilty. They feel he is guilty, never mind that the jury went through volumes of material and listened to dozens of witnesses and have come to a verdict of not guilty. Yet, the mob would still rule.

Thank God we live in the United States of America where the mob may be heard but does not rule.

Anthony V. LaPenta Jr.

Ocala

If the facts don’t fit, we must acquit

Yes! It was nice to see a jury that didn’t sit on their brains like the O.J. and Casey Anthony jurists did.

True, this was not a time to celebrate over the verdict, as both George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, in particular, added to this tragedy.

While the verdict was correct, this case should never have been brought to trial in the first case, but politics took over.

That of course didn’t stop Sharpton and Jackson from doing their shtick along with the liberal media making waves.

They should all be ashamed of themselves, and bringing up civil-rights charges against Zimmerman is a farce.

<p><b>Bad public policy</b></p><p>It is amazing to me that the immigration feud is supposedly so one party or the other doesn't lose its vote.</p><p>Here are a few facts that I just learned about (shame on me). Hispanic voters in the U.S. are 17.2 percent of the population. Now, if someone got 50 percent of the Hispanic vote, that means they got 8.6 percent of the vote. The white population makes up 70 percent of the voters, so we should all just give in and let all the illegals in so 8 percent can have their way.</p><p>Does this sound right or fair? The law is the law and should be enforced. We really do not need a new law.</p><p>Sure, we have to do something about the illegal ones already here, but we do not have to give them our jobs, money or health care. Once you cull the criminals out of the illegals that are here, you won't have that many left to help.</p><p>Marco Rubio's plan was one of the best, but he changed horses in midstream just like the others. They are so afraid of losing that 8 percent of the vote. Ridiculous!</p><p>I feel we should think about the people who came here legally the hard way. They waited their turn. They did it right. Coming here illegally is a crime. What happens to us if we enter Mexico illegally?</p><p>Build the fence we were promised years ago and again now. The law they are pushing through is filled with pork also. President Obama promised to end that. Ha!</p><p><i>Pat Lee</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>The system worked</b></p><p>So, the trial is concluded and the verdict is in. Given what I read and heard of the evidence adduced to support or refute the charges against Mr. Zimmerman, the verdict of the jury appears to be correct.</p><p>That said, there remains a nagging feeling that justice was not served in this case. The defendant disobeyed orders to leave any investigation to appropriate law enforcement entities. His failure to do so must be viewed, I suspect, as the cause of the tragedy that ensued. Yet, he walks a free man. Why?</p><p>The jury system. Oh no. After jurists, lawyers and other pundits weighed in that the jury system worked in the Casey Anthony debacle, any critique of the system now falls short.</p><p>The judge? Don't think so. She appeared tough and fair throughout the ordeal. If anything she leaned towards the prosecution. Nope. That's out.</p><p>The defense? Nope. Despite poor jokes and an excruciatingly awkward cross examination, they did their jobs.</p><p>The prosecution. Ah, now we're getting warmer. The State in its various manifestations chose nearly the maximum charges against the defendant, charges that we now see in hindsight were not supported by the available evidence.</p><p>Mr. Zimmerman took the life of a young man who did not have to die. That was clear and the evidence was incontrovertible. Yet, Mr. Zimmerman's actions, in the eyes of the jury and others, fell far short of the level of culpability argued by the state. Lesser charges would have resulted in a conviction.</p><p>If you will forgive the analogy, by swinging for the fences when a single would have won the game, the state ended up losing everything — especially the respect of the community.</p><p>Why this was done will no doubt be the subject of books and TV movies. That it was done resulted in a lack of justice and a disservice to the Martin family.</p><p><i>Robert Echols</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Disappointing verdict</b></p><p>The death of Trayvon Martin need never have happened if George Zimmerman had taken advantage of numerous opportunities to identify himself as a member of neighborhood watch. He was in an unmarked car, not wearing any sort of identification or uniform, and therefore an unknown and threatening entity to this boy.</p><p>I believe Trayvon did his best to get away from this stranger who was following him, and when he was unsuccessful, he confronted Zimmerman in his own self-defense. This was never brought out in the trial. Also, Zimmerman never expressed any remorse for taking this teenager's life, describing it as God's plan.</p><p>I am very disappointed in the outcome.</p><p><i>Irene Fortuna</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Mob does not rule</b></p><p>The trial is over. Or is it?</p><p>The man, Zimmerman, before he was even brought to trial, was sentenced, convicted and, yes, if he had been caught, hung. Now long months have passed and a jury with a not-guilty plea has let Mr. Zimmerman go. But is he free?</p><p>People blinded by prejudice have decided he is guilty. They feel he is guilty, never mind that the jury went through volumes of material and listened to dozens of witnesses and have come to a verdict of not guilty. Yet, the mob would still rule.</p><p>Thank God we live in the United States of America where the mob may be heard but does not rule.</p><p><i>Anthony V. LaPenta Jr.</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>If the facts don't fit, we must acquit</b></p><p>Yes! It was nice to see a jury that didn't sit on their brains like the O.J. and Casey Anthony jurists did.</p><p>True, this was not a time to celebrate over the verdict, as both George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, in particular, added to this tragedy.</p><p>While the verdict was correct, this case should never have been brought to trial in the first case, but politics took over.</p><p>That of course didn't stop Sharpton and Jackson from doing their shtick along with the liberal media making waves.</p><p>They should all be ashamed of themselves, and bringing up civil-rights charges against Zimmerman is a farce.</p><p>Let's move on.</p><p><i>Bob Cronin</p><p>Ocala</i></p>